Electrical connector.



w. HAMMOND.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILID MAR. 3, 1916.

.91 3,632 Patented Jan. 23,, 1917.

WILLIAM 1. HAMMOND, 0F PASSAIC, NEW S'EKSEY.

ELECTBICAL CONNECTOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. Harr MOND, a citizen of the United States, residing in Passaic in the county of Passaic and 5 State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electrical connectors of that general type which are employed for producing a quickly detachable connection betweenthe wires and the binding posts, the object of the invention being to provide a connector of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby a firm connection can be quickly obtained and maintained until the arts are forcibly disconnected.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an electrical connector which can be inexpensively stamped from a single piece of sheet material, which can be quickly applied to the binding post or removed therefrom, which will produce an excellent electrical connection between the parts and can be safely subjected to continuous jarring and vibration without danger of becoming disengaged, and which may be used eitherwith or without the clamping nut.

' With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated by way ofexample certain preferable embodiments of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an electrical connector constnacted in accordance with the invention, the binding post being shown in the position initially assumed when applying the connector thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the binding post after the connector has been pulled laterally to produce an interlocking connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the'connector applied to a binding post. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the same, the clamping nut of on binding post being indicated by dotted lines.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed. March 3, 1916. Serial Etc. (3 ,826.

to in the following description and indi when the device is in operative pc I Patented a 23, 191% Fig. 5 is a perspective view ot the electrical connector. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a slight modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referre Sil cated in all the views of the drawing by the same reterencc characters.

Referring to the drawings, designates a bind post 0 tional construction, and 52 so it is desired to connectto the post. The connector is formed metal plate 3 which nected to one end of the conductor or wire For this purpose the plate 3 is shown. as prore vided at one end thereof with the conven tional neck 4, said neck being formed. with the side wings 4: which are folded around the end of the conductor 2 in such a manr as to grip and firmly engage the same. usual openingj may be provided plate 3 at the base of the neck i, extremity 2 'of the conductor through the opening and wrapped z the end of the neck in the custoinl ner. This is merely one of the usuame of connecting a wire to a plate. and no cl is made to the novelty thereof.

For the purpose oi engaging the post 1 the sheet metal plate 3 is g with a longitudinal slot 6 adapt d ably receive the binding post, at"? ing preferably arranged alinem the neck L and conductor 2. The tion (i of the slot located ad or neck 4 is of such a to sup .1 the binding post 1 in the initial step I ing the connector in position. s the slot 6 toward the opposite end are provided with resilient side which are pressed outwardly from t .e plane of the plate and converge toward each 0 The ends of the resilient 7 are su ably rounded or beveled, while the space oetween the free ends thereof is less than the diameter of the binding post 1. The opposite end of the slot 6 is provided with transversely disposed resilient flange which is likewise pressed upwardly from the plane of the plate and inclined so as to over- 1 hang the slot. The middle portion of end flange 8 may be provided with a notched seat 9 for engagement with the binding post itior In order to apply the connector Sta.

from a sheet is permanently con- LII in'g post, the enlarged end 6 of the slot fl is slipped over the post and the plate suitably disposed at the bottom of the hnding post, or at any desired point in. the lengi" i thereoi The plate 3 is then forcibly moved to bring the binding post to the opposite end of the slot 6. The binding post will first engage the beveled ends of the resilient side flanges 7 and. spring the said flanges upwardly a siifiicient amount to admit of the post passing between the same. At the opposite end of the slot the binding post will be broiight into engagement with the notched es t 0 of the transverse resilient holl u flange 8, the side flanges 'i being still flexed a slight amount bv engagement or the bev eled ends there/or with the binding post. This will result in a slight flexing of all three of the resilient clamping flanges 7, i

and 8 and the sides of the binding post will be firmly engaged at three separate points in the periphery thereof. The engagement olf'these resilient flanges with the threaded sides or the binding post will hold the plate 3 securely in position upon the binding post and maintain an excellent electrical connecticn and no amount of jarring of vibration will result in disconnecting the members. However, by forcibly moving the plate 3 to bring the binding post 1 back into the en larged end portion 6* of the slot 6 the plate can be lifted "from. the binding post. llhis construction thus admits of the connector being very quickly applied to the binding post or removed therefrom, and the usual nut 10 up X the binding post may either be used or removed, as desired.

A slight modification is shown by Fig. 6, in which an inclined passage 11 leads from the enlarged end 6 of the slot through the edge of the plate 3, said passage enabling the connector to be applied to the binding post 1 or detached therefrom, Without the necessity of first unscrewing and removing the clamping not ll). if desired, the sides of the passagell may be provided With upwardly and inwardly inclined resilient side flanges 12 arranged to have a spring action as the binding post is forced through. the passage.

liile l have shown in the.accompanying drawings and have described herein certain structures embodying the features of my invention, :i wish it to he understood that the same is illustrative oi the principles involved and l dc ,2 restrict myself to the exact structural details as these may be cl anged er altered Without departing from the spi it and scope of my invention as dei claims.

ed the invention, What to secure by ca e we t l from a sing e plate and provided with a slot adapted to slidably receive the binding est, said plate being provided With integra resilient gripping ortions at the edges oil said sl tor positively engaging the threads of said pose with pressure to establish a good electrical connection and to prevent the plate from being removed from the post in the direction of its axis. 4 r

2. in combination With a threaded binding post, an electrical connector formed from a single plate and provided with a slot ada oted to receive the binding post, one portion of said slot being of such a size as to slip freely thereover, While another 30 portion ol the slot is providcd-at'itsedges with integral resilient gripping portions adapted to positively engage the threads oi the binding post to prevent'the connector from being removed therefrom; in the direcs5 tic-n of itsvazris. I

3-. An electrical connector for threaded binding posts, including a single plate formed with a slot to receive the binding post and having a seat at o is end thereof, so the sides of the slot being formed with deflected integral resilient portions adapted to positively engage the threads of the binding post and cooperate with the before mentioned seat to loclr the plate in position upon 5 the binding post and prevent removal of the plate in the direction or": the axis of the binding post.

t. An electrical. connector for threaded. binding posts, including a single plate formed with a slot having a seat at one end thereof, one portion of the slot being enlarged so as to slip freely upon the binding post, While the portion of the slot adjacent the seat is provided with deflected integral resilient lot gripping portions adapted. to positively engage the threads of the binding -cost and cooperate with the before mentioned seat to lock the plate in position. upon. i n .ing post andprevent removal therefrom in the no direction. of the axis of the binding post.

5. An electrical connector for threaded binding posts, including a single plate formed with a slot to receive the binding post and having a seat at one end tiereof, spaced resilient gripping portions being provided at the edges of the slot adjacent the I seat for cooperation with each other and, the seat to positively engage the threads of the binding post at three points in the be we riphery thereof.

6. An electrical connector including a plate formed with a slot adapted to slidably receive the binding post, a portion of the slot being or" a size to ireei v receive the 12s binding poshhaving a transverse resilient pro ectmg from one end of the slot,

is sides of slot adjacent tl' said end Lereoi being ovided with res..-ien' side for cocperation with the 

